Light



Patented Feb. 17, 1925.

oH'AnLEs H. MUoKnNHiRn, F Damon," MICHI'GAN.

. LIGHT.

Application filed April l; 1922 Serial No. 552, 695.

To all whom may concern Bea known that 1,: CHnnnns H. Mnon nn' 1mm, a citizen of 'tlie United States, residing atDetroit; in the=oounty oi Wayne and MState of Michigan, haveinvented certain new H and usefulimprovements in' llights, of which the following: isa speoifioation referenoe b'eing had therein to the accompanying: drawing This inventionj relatesito an improved front or lens for lights; the: same being partioularly adapted and adszantag'eous for head lights for motor vehicles, boats,and thewlike; but also useful :in' connection with a -vario11s other kinds of' lights employingfla front, or in Whioha front may I be desirable such as trouble lamps; tail lights, switch lights," desk and store Window lights, etc.

The object of the invention *isto provide an"improved front or lens of'an inexpensive durable character," that will eiieetuallfymodify-the lighflwaves to prodnoea clear a diffhsed light Without glare, and' that will 1 provide $01 the readyfregulation' of the dis- 1 tribution of the *light over certain areas to meet- Wit-h the 1 requirements in this respect? The invention, with otherobjeets and ad vantages thereof, andthe partieula'r construotion, combination and arrangement a of pants: cOIIlPIlSl11gtli same; will be "under stood fromithe following detail description, whenmonsidered in oonneotioir with the accompanying I drawings, forming 1 part hereof; and illustrating embodiments of the inventions In 'the drawings Figured is a vertical section through a headlight equipp'ed with a front orlensi constructed and arranged in accordanee With the present invention;

FiggQisa detail front elewition of the front or lens.

Fig. 3 is --adiagranimatio View showing;

the: usual arrangement of l automobile head lamps *equipped with my improved front or 1 lens, the frontor' lenses of the respective head lights being oriented on having 1 their diffraeting lines disposed at an angle to con trol the light in accordance with the present invention.

Fig; 4 is an elevation of a modified-form 0f"lens.

Figures 5 and 6 areiront elevations ofthe tvvo"membersconstituting; the modified, fdrm 5 of front illustrated inFigure 4,

Fig". 7 is a frontelevationocf themodifiedconstruction of front illustr ated in Figure ll F ig. 8 is a front elevation of another inodi fled construction of front.

Fig. 9 is'anedgefview of the modified con 66 struetion illnstratedin-Figure 8.-

Fig. 10 i is a detail section, on an enlarged scale 01 tl1e modifie'cl=- construction illustrated I in Figurest and f),

Fig; 11 is adetail View of damping ring l for the front.

Fig; 12 is a d'etail viewoi 11 part" of the holding means for the front. 7

The invention oomprehendsi an improved front or lens provided with a group of- 76- parallel diffracting lines; and the' o rienting of the front or lens as *I'gETdS its "group I of diflracting lines, or the ar angement of the same with its group of difi'raeting lines at different angles whereby the distribution of the light over oertain areas may be readily controlled to nieetwith the'requirements-in this respect,

The invention" further contemplates the use of a speoial front or 'le'ns'member inth 3 form of a thin sheet of filn'i like material; such as pyroxyling eelluloid,--or the like pro- Vided Wltll lines approximating difiractlng lines, with means of a simple" eifio'ient natnre, providing for arranging' and positively holding the front or lens member in different positions ofadjustment in'thela'lnp" as regards its group; of difira'otingdines."

hile specific "embodiments of the ini en tion' are illustrated in the drawin s; it will o-f co'urse; be understood that changes and variations in the partio'ulan Construction shown, and the embodiment of theinvention in other 'formsas will appeal to those skilled in the art and falling Within the soope' 01"95 the appended olaim's may bepraotioed-w'ith out departing from the spirit oftll'e inven-' tion.

Referring in detail to the partiou'lai' con stl uotion illustrated, Figuresl to 3 ofilie 100 drawings, A designates one ofth'estandard form's of" lieacl lights having the usua'l' lens clamping means including clamping members a-a". B designates iny improved front or lens oomposed bf a thi'n flexible sheet of pyr'oXylin, celluloid or like material, 1 having a group of parallel 'diifractinglines'" In the particular ooiistruotion shown, the front or lens member B issubs'tantially' transparent at one side and provided on its "other fate with diffracting lines formed by parallel scratches, miniature prisms or prismatic parallelograms. Z Z) designate respectively the polished side and the dilfracting lines or lined surface, the front or lens member being arranged with its polished surface The front or lens ising facing to the front. 7 may or may not be provided with dil' and reinforcing bulges of any suitable in the present instance the same being shown with a central bul e d and a series of radially extending elongated pear shaped bulge d.

In addition to the usual clamping m bers aameans is provided for arrangmg and positively holding the front or lens in the head light in different positions of adjustment as regards its group of didracting lines. The stationary clamping member a of the lamp is provided with pin or projecting part shown in the form of a small bul e a and the front or lens B is provided with a series of bulges a in its marginal portion adapted to engage over the projecting part or bulge a when the lens is seated between the clamping members. K designates a spring washer interposed between the removable clamping member a and the in nal portion of the lens. The removable clamping member a is here shown as provided with bayonet slots a to cooperate with pins or projections a on the stationary clamping member a. As will be understood, by removing outer clamping member a and the spring clamping member K, the front or lens member may be readily adjusted and one of its bulges a engaged with the projecting part or bulge a? on the stationary clamping member a.

The front or lens B will act to modify the light wcves so that a clear diffused light without glare is obtained, the difi'racting lines serving to break up and spread the light waves so that the glare producing waves are eliminated, neutralized or charged. If a lens member of this character is arranged with its diifracting lines extending horizontally then the dispersion will be up wardly and downwardly while if arranged with its lines vertically disposed, the light is spread laterally, and held down and restricted as to its vertical area or zone. As will be understood, by orienting the front or lens as regards its group of diilracting lines, or the arrangement of the same with its lines disposed at different an les to the vertical, the direction of dispersion, changing in accordance *ith the angular adjustment of the group of diifracting lines, can be readily regulated to limit and control the candle power and distribution of the light over certain areas. In the exemplification illustrated diagrammatically Figure 3 of the drawings, the front or lens members B-B are each arranged with its groups of diffracti'ng lines disposed at an angle to the vertical, this arrangement resulting in a reduction of the candle power of the light rays, or the more intense portion thereof at the desired point, known as the I) point (a point substantially 52 inches from the ground and feet to the left of the center of the car), the candle power of the rays being increased at points known as the A. and 1 points, the point being straightahead of the car and substantially 42 inches from the ground, and the B point straight ahead and 16 inches higher than the A. point, the candle power at the A and 3 points referred to not being restricted by the usual requirements.

in Figures 4' to 7 of the drawi illustrated a modified arrangement embodying the idea of orienting a lined lens or front, .u this modified construction two sheets or members being en'iployed in superposed re lation and the members being oriented with relation to each other respecting their groups of dil'fracting lines, the groups of lines be ing, in the example shown, disposed at equal angles to the vertical at opposite sides thereof the dilfracting lines of the respective members crossing each other. EF Mf nate the two members, each of substantially the same construction of the lens illustrated Figures 1 and 2, the same being provided with polished surfaces and lined faces (1 c, f/ respectively. In this instance the sheets or members E-F are shown provided at their marginal portions with aper tures, properly spaced to provide for the engagement of the same with a projecting part or bulge a on one of the clamping members of the lamp.

One method by which my improved front or lens may be economically manufactured from pyroxylin is as follows: A quantity of pyrozzylin in a cake or heat form is sliced into sheets. The thickness of the sheets may vary. In practicing the invention, sheets ten one-thousandths of an inch thick and sheets fifteen one-thousandths of an inch thick have been employed. The sheets are simultaneously subjected to high heat and pressure about three thousand pounds pressure per square inch, with a heat about three hundred degrees or more for a period of about fifteen minutes, the sheets being placed between highly polished copper and nickel plated steel plates. A plurality of pressure plates are employed, and the sheets are arranged in pairs between the plates, each pair of sheets being placed together between two of the pressure plates. This treatment of two sheets together between the highly polished surfaces of two pressure plates results in giving the sheets a high polish on their outer sides which are net-1t to the polished surfaces of the pressure plates, and lined surfaces at their opposing inner sides, the

marks made by the minute indentations of the cutting or slicing knife during the sheeting operation being brought out in this way, and resulting in a surface formed of parallel scratches, miniature prisms, or miniature prismatic parallelograms. The sheets may be readily provided with diffusing protuberances or points by forming the bulges under a temperature slightly lower than the temperature at which the sheets have been previously heated, a temperature sufficient to soften the sheet but not enough to affect the polished and lined surfaces thereof.

In Figures 8, 9 and 10 of the drawings, a modified form of front or lens member is shown said lens member having a lined surface T at one side thereof provided by closely associated fine corrugations formed by pressing.

It will be noted that the orienting of the front or lens affords a wide range of control and the special construction and arrange ment of parts is of a simple, efficient nature providing for the quick and easy orienting of the lens members.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a head light a front therefor, composed of a film like body having a group of parallel lines approximating diffracting lines, and means for supporting the lens member in place in the head light in differentpositions of adjustment with its group of diffracting lines extending at different angles, said means in cluding a stud on the head light, and said lens member being provided with a plurality of indentations at its marginal portion to engage over said stud.

2. The combination with a head light, of a front therefor including two superimposed members of film like material, each of said members having parallel lines approximating diffracting lines, and means for supporting said members in the head light in different positions of adjustment relatively to each other respecting the angular disposition of their groups of diffracting lines.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature 1n the presence of two wltnesses.

CHARLES H. MUCKENHIRN. Witnesses:

GEO. D. RILEY,

GERTRUDE WEDEMEIER. 

